Chapter 7: Diaries

Damu Lan grabbed a bandage and carefully wrapped it around the wounds on Lu Ye's body after he had already applied soothing ointment to ease the pain. Lu Ye was completely worn out, unable to keep his eyes open any longer. He found himself drifting off to sleep, nestled on Damu Lan's bed.

Damu Lan let out a sigh of relief and gazed at Lu Ye, who was now peacefully sleeping. As he stared at the familiar presence before him, Damu Lan idly toyed with a feather from Lu Ye's raven form and after a while, a radiant, heartwarming smile crept onto his face—one that held the purest joy, like that of a child.

In that moment, Damu Lan's defense melted away, surrounded by a comforting warmth. Slowly, his surroundings blurred, and he drifted to sleep beside Lu Ye, still cradling the feather gently in his hand.

.

Several hours had slipped away, and the lingering fragrance of the burnt incense in Damu Lan's chamber had faded into thin air.

Suddenly, an unsettling feeling fell over Damu Lan, causing him to snap back to his senses.

Without warning, the door crashed open, revealing a figure he was all too familiar—it was Zhang XiYi.

Zhang XiYi always had a way of making a grand entrance wherever he went. His riches were more than sufficient to compensate for anything, and Damu Lan had become so used to it that he didn't even bother paying attention anymore.

In a hurry, Damu Lan threw a blanket over Lu Ye, who jolted awake from the clamor caused by the crash.

Zhang XiYi's gaze shifted to Damu Lan, who fixed him with a serious look.

"What brings you here?" Damu Lan questioned.

"My Hua Ran was defeated by your disciple. So what do you think I'm doing here?" Zhang XiYi retorted.

Damu Lan exhaled wearily before responding, "If you're going to nag about my disciple, perhaps you should stop spoiling your disciple so much and become stricter." He added.

Zhang XiYi's face flushed as a few veins popped up. The man was known for his quick temper, but he possessed an incredible amount of self-control that rarely allowed him to act on his rage.

"What? I've been training him for four years, and he never once lost a match. Yet, he was defeated in a petty sparring session? And to top it off, he lost to a disciple of just eight months? Spare me the details," he seethed.

Damu Lan blinked, his eyes adjusting to the sight before him. He had grown accustomed to Zhang XiYi's peculiarities, particularly his tendency to fret over the smallest of matters. Zhang XiYi was the kind of man who struggled to acknowledge defeat, even in the past. So it was no wonder Damu Lan understood the frustration coursing through him when Zhang XiYi's most favored disciple lost to the only disciple of his own.

"Hah…forget it. I'll deal with that later," Zhang XiYi remarked. "You should stop isolating yourself within the sect and start overseeing the cities again. The sect leader asked me to persuade you. The people in the south desperately need an immortal to deal with the lurking unconscious devils. It's time for you to go."

Damu Lan fell silent, eventually nodding after a brief pause. That small gesture surprised Zhang XiYi. He hadn't expected Damu Lan to agree so easily. For centuries, he had adamantly refused to go anywhere beyond the confines of the sect…

"Good. It's been a while, so I'll lead the way," Zhang XiYi insisted. "You should bring that disciple of yours along. He could benefit from the experience."

"No need. He's still just a child," Damu Lan responded.

Zhang XiYi let out a scoff, "well, well, talk about spoiling a disciple. When we were around his age, we were sent on far more challenging missions. What child are you referring to?"

"..."

"You go ahead. I'll join you at the gate." Damu Lan said.

Zhang XiYi nodded and left, leaving Damu Lan to his own preparations. Damu Lan lifted the broken door and placed it lightly over the entrance, securing it. Then he turned to Lu Ye, who was now fully awake.

"You'll likely revert back to being human in three days," Damu Lan remarked. "Since you are still unfamiliar with this form, it's risky to wander about. It's best if you remain here until you shift back."

"You'll stay here until your injuries heal. Don't leave this room, not even for a moment. Understand?" Damu Lan demanded.

Lu Ye simply nodded, blinking as he watched Damu Lan wear his fur cloak and exit the room.

It left Lu Ye pondering the recent turn of events. Yet, he refrained from questioning Damu Lan, wary of worsening his master's mood. So, he obediently settled himself on the bed, only waiting for his master's return.

Damu Lan's chamber was protected by a protective spell, shielding it from any intruders apart from members of the Qing Shan Sect. Wiping away his worries.

After Damu Lan had left, Lu Ye found himself at a loss in the familiar surroundings. Though he had been in this room before, he still felt uneasy, unsure of what to do with his limited mobility, restricted to merely two legs and two wings and a beak.

"Hm…" his boredom consumed him. The bed no longer held his interest, so he leaped down and began to hop about, exploring the room's nooks and crannies. His curious gaze settled upon a collection of books placed in the corner.

Martial arts manuals and info of the cultivation world adorned the shelves, instantly capturing Lu Ye's attention. He was interested, but felt hopeless when he realized the desired book was put on the top row.

Nevertheless, Lu Ye flew up and clamped the book's spine with his beak, straining to lift it from its lofty position. Alas, the weight surpassed his expectations, causing him to topple to the ground.

"Ouch…" Lu Ye yelped in pain.

As his eyes fluttered open, a sight caught his attention—a slightly opened chest of drawers. The gap of the drawers seemed just wide enough for him to sneak a peek and potentially squeeze inside, considering his current size.

Curious, Lu Ye cautiously investigated the content of the drawer. He discovered tons of ancient, untitled books. Since he was unable to pick the book out, Lu Ye ended up idly passing the time by counting the number of the books in each drawer.

"1…2…3…6…10…20…"

"5,000…"

His gaze shifted to another drawer, and the counting continued.

"5,030… 6,700… 8,400…"

"10,800…?!"

A total of 10,800 untitled books reside within the drawers. The books looked very ancient-like, as if they had been written between eight hundred and one thousand years ago.

Using his beak, Lu Ye managed to glimpse a few pages and flipped them open. The handwriting appeared decent and legible, albeit smudged with a small amount of ink, making them incomprehensible to him. He was looking at the oldest looking one and some pages contained only a few scattered sentences like "today is good" or "nothing much matters today," while others appeared entirely blank, as if the author had skipped certain pages depending on the day they were written.

However, one fact remained crystal clear to Lu Ye: the handwriting within the books did not belong to Damu Lan.

Lu Ye had seen Damu Lan's handwriting when he was studying the book manual that Damu Lan provided for him, and the stark contrast in strokes and style left him certain that the handwriting in these ancient books bore no resemblance to his master's handiwork.

Then, whose handwriting—whose books—were these?

But Lu Ye had spent a good chunk of time counting the books alone, leaving him with no room for extended contemplation as he suddenly caught a wind of approaching footsteps. So Lu Ye flapped his wings and flew over to the table just in time for Damu Lan's return.

"Welcome back, Master."

.

Damu Lan exited the room, leaving Lu Ye behind in his room. From a distance, he spotted Zhang XiYi accompanied by Hua Ran at the sect's gate.

"So you really won't bring your disciple along," Zhang XiYi taunted.

"..."

With that, they set off from the Qing Shan Sect towards the southern lands.

As they descended the peak, they eventually reached the gateway to the south. Once their identities were recognized, the guards were taken aback and respectfully cleared the path for the immortals, bowing in deference.

They proceeded towards the camp of the Southern General.

The General had sought assistance from the immortals from different sects a month ago, but no one had come to their aid. So he was immensely grateful for their arrival. After exchanging greetings, the General wasted no time in getting to the point.

The situation was dire for them, yet for Zhang XiYi and Damu Lan, who had grown accustomed to dealing with unconscious devils, it seemed like a straightforward task to resolve.

"Master, what are unconscious devils?" Hua Ran asked.

Zhang XiYi remained silent, his expression unreadable. He disliked devils, so he never bothered to teach Hua Ran and the rest of his disciples about any of them, letting them learn on their own.

But since Hua Ran was very loyal to his master's teachings, it could be that he also didn't bother to learn about any devils.

Zhang XiYi chimed in, his tone casual yet informative. "Unconscious devils are humans who succumbed to their evil spirit but failed to harness its power. They're not as powerful as conscious devils, you see. Think of them as walking, decaying corpses, thirsting for blood to sustain their twisted existence."

"Their bodies are still alive, and their spirits remain trapped within, but their minds and consciousness no longer function," added Damu Lan. "It's as if they're in a perpetual state of sleep, moving about without awareness."

After a momentary pause, Zhang XiYi continued to shed light on the matter. "Ever since the death of Bai Chang, these unconscious devils have been lurking about without clear motives. We're not entirely sure why, but they don't display the same level of aggression they once did thousands of years ago. They are a whole lot more ferocious and fierce now."

Hua Ran nodded as he took note of the explanations.

"The devils are gathered outside the gate. There are thousands of them, and my soldiers are doing their utmost to keep them at bay. Please inform us if you require any assistance, dear immortals," the General offered.

"No need. This will end in an instant," Damu Lan replied merely.

Led by the General, the immortals were guided to the gate where the fierce battle against the devils raged on. The soldiers were exhausted, barely hanging on after relentless rounds of archery and tireless oversight.

Damu Lan leaped onto the rooftop of the tallest tower, positioning himself to gain the best vantage point available. Then, he unsheathed his sword, raising it high into the air.

Suddenly, a magnificent burst of light erupted with colors that defied imagination. Eventually, the vibrant display settled into a captivating shade of purple. As the radiant purple flame descended, its ethereal beauty unveiled a creature with size unlike any other—an amethyst-hued phoenix, its feathers ablaze.

The phoenix emitted a screech that could deafen anyone who listened, including the devils, who instinctively dropped to the ground, covering their ears. But that didn't last longer as they unknowingly started to stand again.

With such mighty screech, the phoenix unleashed its power upon the encroaching horde. The phoenix ascended higher, its wings fanning the flames to reach every corner of the city. Fire erupted from its very core, engulfing the devils in a consuming blaze that left nothing in its wake.

Some other devils wailed in pain as they were reduced to smoldering ash, their grotesque forms crumbling under the intense heat. As their bodies turned into dust, a few tiny lights could be seen escaping from their bodies.

Even from a distance, one could feel the searing heat, causing them to swiftly retreat from the area.

And then, just as abruptly as it had appeared, the phoenix ceased its fiery spectacle and melded back into Damu Lan's sword. Silence descended upon the city, broken only by the crackling of cooling embers and the distant whispers of the wind.

"Is…is that the Flame of Redemption I heard from a legend?"

"So, that man over there is the renowned Qing Zhu Jun—Damu Lan?!"

The murmurs spread like wildfire among the soldiers, filled with awe as they spoke of Damu Lan. Yet, he paid them no mind and gracefully descended to the ground after sheathing his sword.

"Hua Ran, could you cast a protective spell over the gateway and its surrounding? Things will ensure that if the devils attack again in the future, it will be easier to defend," Damu Lan requested.

"Why do you have to ask my disciple? Couldn't you have done it yourself?" Zhang XiYi questioned, his arms crossed.

"What's the point of bringing your disciple here then?" Damu Lan responded sincerely.

"To give him firsthand experience… Whatever. Hua Ran, do it."

Hua Ran nodded and walked towards the gateway. As he gathered his qi, a glimmer of light settled at the tip of his pointing finger. With each passing moment of concentration, the light grew brighter.

Finally, after performing the necessary gestures to cast the spell, a transparent barrier, much like a bubble, materialized around the southern lands.

Damu Lan walked towards the barrier, reaching out to feel its energy. After a moment, he took a step back, still pointing his hands towards the barrier. Concentrating once more, he cast an additional layer of spell upon it.

"What spell are you using?" Zhang XiYi inquired.

"Flame Barrier. Even the slightest touch from beings with malicious intent will engulf them in flames," Damu Lan explained.

Without waiting to hear the General's response, Damu Lan turned to face him, bowing respectfully. Then, without hesitation, he leaped into the air and took flight, heading back towards the Qing Shan Sect. Zhang XiYi and Hua Ran remained behind at the base as they watched.

.

Damu Lan removed his fur cloak, placing it neatly on the table, his gaze fixed on Lu Ye nearby.

He didn't ask further, simply observing Lu Ye's wounds and taking a seat on his bed.

As night descended upon them, he turned his gaze to Lu Ye and spoke, "Remain here until you've recovered."

Beside Damu Lan, Lu Ye complied, saying, "I understand."

A profound stare from Damu Lan unsettled Lu Ye, creating a sense of unease.

"Even once you've healed, you're welcome to stay," Damu Lan unexpectedly offered, surprising Lu Ye, who then politely declined.

"It wouldn't be appropriate, master."

"Do you not experience nightmares?"

Lu Ye was caught off guard by the abrupt question, so he studied Dam Lan's expression, certain of his seriousness.

Damu Lan, "You can stay and sleep even after sunrise."

Curious to ask how Damu Lan knew about his situation, Lu Ye decided not to, simply reply with something simpler, "No, as you've mentioned, I don't experience nightmares, master. So I must decline. Please forgive me.

Damu Lan rose from the bed, pouring liquor into a cup and indulging himself. It didn't take long for him to be intoxicated. He slumped messily into a chair and rested his head on the table.

"Then, next time, ensure my room is in order before you return to your own."

Lu Ye was bewildered by his sudden request—

"It's an order," Damu Lan declared.

Amused by his intoxicated master, Lu Ye chuckled softly, saying, "Understood, master."

Lu Ye had already thought about it. Even without Damu Lan's command, he would willingly care for his unconventional master whenever the need arose.

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